Work-transfer means for evelet machines and the like



Sept 7, 1943 'AQ l.. yvufLmJylsr WORK-TRANSFER MEANS FOR EYELET -MACHINES AND THE LIKE Filed'duly 2e, 1941 In l ' l l e 5 i s i J6* 3945027 J4 AJ9 4593334* J3 Tik@ DMA-41u@ INVENTOR Wirf/lf? h//M MM5 LMA ATTORNE 5 Patented Sept. 7, 1943 man @manned-,im

I )This mveubion relates fto work-trangfer nfieans ,fr eyeletl machines @and .t-he like, aindhas 'forfits zprmipal object iopmvidefimproved Worktreinsferfmeanslcapable offadjustment toaecommodgte work-pieces Vfof dierent ysizes and Ifihaipee The -mfansfevringa stampedeoutblankffremfthe blank-- Eyelet machines 'generally are :fprofvided within; Manking pun-ch which, -in c a opent-,ieri-)withy -a blanking die, stamps out `lolamiiss fqf=sutab1g-sze and shane .to 'be formed by 'drawing and Stampf f an eyelet fing operations into @nist-led articles. 1n a fully fsary te Aprei/ide:means forlbrainsferfringthe blanks f lfrombheblankfing stage t0-the firsb-fonmingystagvge, im@ rfOI. transferring the ,partially fformedpieees fer fingers Amay 'Operate -tp' movers Hesh ,lvmrl-v piece Tinto position -to Joe acted upon -at each strekeof.tfhersevembfomning punchesg- '-I1he blank-transfer v`bleek endi-nafrfiiy empley'd vheretfore 'for transferring the blank cimentV ,lie-350 Ween,

il may?.

been Ythe common 'practise to om the -Gentral' :gnam-neef -the #Workiransfemlk with-@slight thereof, and a clamp engaging with thelclampengaging Surface of the fingers is positioned in a clamp-receiving recess adjacent to the fingerreceiving slot in the supporting structure, with the top surface of the clamp substantially flush with the top surface of the supporting member.

cam rollers2| and 22 to impart reciprocating motion to the slide I8.

Mounted directly above the slide is a blanking die through which a strip of metal 26 is fed. A blanking punch 21 is mounted directly over the blanking die 25 for stamping out blanks from the stripmetal 23. A vblank-transfer block 28 is mounted in the slide for transferring the blanks to the first forming die and punch l2 an'd I4, and transfer fingers 2S (Fig. 3) are provided yfor transferring workpieces from one 'forming stage to the next.

"When the blanking punch 2l is brought down, it stamps out a blank 3!) and carries it through the blanking die 25 to the bottom of the kblanktransfer block, which at this time is in position .under the blanking die to receive the blank. As

Such work-transfer means, in which the top surfaces of the supporting member, the workfengag l ing fingers, and the clamps all are flush, can be varranged to slide directly underfa-k blanking ldie in order. tofreceive' a blank work-piece.

The slide of an eyeletmachinemay itselfbe formed to serve as thesupporting-lmemberifor the. fingers, clamps and 'othercomponent parts of thenew transfer means. s Alternatively the supporting structure ymay be in "the form-.of a

.generally ring-shaped block Whichmay be fastened in an opening of suitable size-providedin theslde- J The invention will be better understood from the following description-considered in conjunction withv the' 4accompanyingdrawing iny which Fig. l isayiewof the bla-nking and first forming stages' of anJeyelet machine equipped with a slide having the new transfer means mounted therein for Vtransferring'av blank from the"blank ing stage .to the first forming stage;

Fig, 2is aview of themachineshwn in Fig. 1 after the Islideand transfer means have'- been' moved 'into position for action o n the blankfby the rstforming'punch and die; f

Fig. 3 is a plan of the slide shown in Figs. -1 endl; Fig. 4` is a plan on an enlarged scale 'of the blankltransfer block mounted in the slide shown miriam; j j;

Fig. 5' isjausection taken substantiallyalong the line 5-45'01' Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentarysection taken substantially along the line I i-f' of-Fg. 4; Fig. [7 is a frontelevation ofa work-engaging finger fitted with amodified form ofwork-'gipping membery Fig.` 8r isa side elevation", partly in 'sectiofr'n of the nger shown,in`lig. 7;3 and Fig. 9 is a plan ofthe portion o fa slide which itself servesk as the supporting member for the new transfer means. The eyeletmachineshown in Fig. lcomprises` a base plate .|'0on Which'is mounted a die block First and second forminggdiesflZ -and |3 vare m'ountedinthe die block7| lfdirectly'below corresponding first and second forming punches i4 and |5. Bottom pins I3 and |'I`, which may be'moved downwardly against the force" of springs,'are provided for ejecting workfrom the dies IZand I3, respectively.

Supported-on the die'block is aslide |8. The slide is secured bybolts I9l at one'end to a connecting platelll on which are mounted 'cam lrollers 2| and 22. 'A cam 23 is secured to a cam shaft 24'which rotates in timed relationwiththe operating mechanism forv the punches As ythe cam shaft 24 rotates, the cam J2 3 acts on`the` shown in'Fig. 1, the blanking punch 2T has just 4beenj-retracted from stamping out a blank 30,

which is held by the transfer block. The slide I8 is'aboutto be moved to the left to transfer the blank 3 0 into position for action by the forming die and punch |2 and M. In the views shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the slide 'I8 has been moved its'fulltravel to the left, and the blank 30 is held'b'y the transfer block over the die |2. I he forming punch I4 is beginning its downward stroke and is rabout to perform the rst Vfarming operation on the blank. As this forming operation proceeds, the slide I8 is retracted byfthe'cam 23 to bring the transfer block 28 back into position to receive the next blank stamped 'out byfthegpunch 21.

*.'The blank transfer block 28with which the slide I8 lis provided is'shown in greater detail in ulli'g'snfl to 6. 'he transfer block 23 comprises 4af generally ring-shaped supporting block 3| which'hasbeen cut away to leave 'a segmentalv aperture 32 permitting'retraction of the transfer block while the forming punch isfstill atA a 'point belowfthe top surface ofthe slide. The

block 3| isformed with substantially radial slots 33-in` which rigid'ngers 34 are mounted. Each of the'nges 34 vis provided'with a work-engaging face -which faces yinto the central opening of the ring-shaped supporting block and Iengages the blank 30. The fingers 34- may be moved radially in the slots 33 to adjust the position'of the work-engaging faces 35 for engagement with 4different sizesof blanks.

-The slots 33 are deep enough so'that the top surfaces ofthe fingers 34. are substantially flush w'ithmth'e top surface of lthe block 3|. The finger bodies intheslots 33 are not as deep as the supporting block 3| -is thick, and accordingly the fingers are formed with a depending projection 38 to present work-engaging faces 35 of substantially the full thickness of the block 3|. The innerfsurface o f Athe block 3| may be formed with recesses `31 aligned with the slots 33 so that the fingers 34` with their dependent front portions' 36 may vbe retracted to a point where their Work-engaging faces are substantially flush with theiinner cylindrical surface of theblock 3 O ne edge of eachof the fingers 34 is cut at an angle to provide a clampengaging surface 38 belowthe top surface of the fingers. Clamps 39 mounted in recesses 4U are provided with projectionsv `4| arrangd'to engage with the clamp-engaging surfaces38 of 'the fingers. The

clamps 39 are held in place by recessed-head screws 14 2 passing through the clamps "and into engagement with the block 3|; When the screws 5 42 are loosened,' thus loosening the c'lamps'f39, the ngers 34 may be'moved radially with-repense of. making the new transfer means mail bev somewhat higher.

I claim:` i

1 l.V In an' eyelet machine or the like, a slide, and work-transfer means mounted on the slide comprising a plurality of work-engaging fingers, said fingers being slidably adjustable in the'plane of the slide to accommodate work-pieces of different sizes and Vbeing wholly disposed'between the top and bottom surfaces of the slide, and means for securing the fingers rigidly in a chosen position with i respect to the slide, said securing means also being wholly disposed between the top and bottom surfaces of the slide.

2. In an eyelet machine or the like, a slide having von opening formed' therein for the reception of awork-piece, a plurality of Work-en'- gaging fingers mounted about the periphery of said opening and slidably adjustable in the plane of the slide to accommodate work-pieces of different sizes inserted into said opening, said fingers being wholly disposed between the top and bottom surfaces of the slidel and clamp means also disposed wholly between the top and bottom surfaces of the slide for securing the fingers rigidiy in a chosen positionwith respect to the slide.

3. A workengaging finger for apparatus of the character described comprising ajfinger body having a work-engaging face at one end thereof, and spring-actuated means arranged at said face normally projecting outwardly to a slight extent and downwardly in the direction in which a work-piece enters into engagement with the fin ger but being capable of being 'depressedA toI permit a work-piece to be introduced easily into engagement with the finger.

4. A work-engaging finger for apparatus of the character described comprising a finger body having a work-engaging face at one end thereof, said face being formed with a groove therein, a work-gripping member pivotally mounted in said groove, and a coil spring pressingagainst said work-gripping member in such manner that the" member normally projects outwardly to a slight extent beyond the Work-engaging face but may be pressed into the groove against the spring pressure. Y

5. A work-engaging finger for apparatus of the character described comprising a 'finger body having a work-engaging face at one end thereof,

said face being formed with a grooveA therein, a work-gripping member pivotally mounted in said groove, a front face of said Work-gripping member being notched adjacent the bottom thereof and a coil spring pressing' againstsaid Workgripping member in such manner that the member normally projects outwardly to a slight extent beyond the work-engaging face but may be pressed into'the groove against the spring pressure. i

6. A work-engaging finger for apparatus of the character described comprising a finger body having a work-engaging face at one end thereof,

said face being formed with a groove therein, and"r a leaf spring positioned in said groove normally projecting outwardly to a slight extent beyond lment. with the clamp-engaging surface of the finger and with its top surface substantially flush with the top surface of the supporting membei".A f

8.. A transfer block for an eyelet machine or the like comprising va generally ring-shaped supporting b1ock,a plurality of fingers having work-engaging faces extending into the central opening of said block mounted for adjustment by sliding in-a. radial direction on the block, and means for securing the fingers rigidly` in a chosen position With respect to the block, saidrngers and said ,securing means both being disposed wholly between the top andbottom surfaces of said block.

9. A transfer blockfor an eyelet machine or the like comprising a generally'ring-shaped supporting block, a plurality of rigid fingers having Work-engaginggfaces extending into the central lopening of said' block mounted for adjustment by sliding in'a radial direction on the block, and a clamp associated4 with each of said fingers for securing each finger rigidly in a chosen position with respect to the block, said fingers and clamps both being 'disposed wholly between the top and bottom surfaces of said block.'

10. A transfer block for an eyelet machine or the like comprising-a Vgenerally ring-shaped supporting block, a plurality of fingers having workengaging faces4 extending into the central opening' of said block `mounted for adjustment in a radial direction on' the block, spring means mountedon said Work-engaging faces in such manner as to prevent accidental withdrawal of a work-piece held thereby, and releasable clamp means for securing the fingers rigidly in a chosen positionwith respect to the block.

11. A transfer block for an eyelet machine or Vth'elike comprising a generally ring-shaped suplporting block formed'with a plurality of radiallyextending finger-receiving slots and adjacent clamp-receiving recesses, fingers having workengaging faces extending into the central* opening ofthe block mounted in said slots and adjustabletherein in a radial direction, the top surfaces of said fingers being substantially fiush -withthe top surface of the supporting ring, a clamp-engaging surface formed on each of said fingers below the top surface thereof, and a clamp positioned in each of said clamp-receiving recesses in engagement with the clamp-engaging surfaces ofthe adjacent finger and with its top 'surface substantially flush with the top surface o f the supporting ring.

ARTHUR L. WILLIAMS. 

